Mechanism for operating flushing-valves.



A. F. MORENCY.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING FLUSHING VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. I915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A gnoenkw Z WQ %6/ y A. F. MORENCY.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING FLUSHING VALVES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. I915- 1,196,712. Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED F. MORENCY, F STURGIS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO MORENCY VAN BURE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF STURGIS, MICHIGAN.

MECHANISM FOR OPERATING FLUSHINGJIALVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

T 0 allwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED F. MORENCY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Sturgis, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Operating Flushing-Valves, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for operating flush valves used in connection with the flush tanks of water closet tanks and the like.

The invention is more especially directed to such flush-tanks as are located contiguous to the latrine-bowl.

The object of this invention is to provide mechanism of simple, compact construction in which the flush-valve is adapted for operation by a handle freely movable in either direction, so that the handle after having been moved to one side or the other will, when released, automatically return by force of gravity to its normal vertical position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple but efi'ective form of connection between the valve operating lever and the handle, which permits of the parts being readily assembled or disassembled and also obviates all danger of these parts becoming accidentally disconnected.

The above and other objects are attained by the construction and arrangement of parts representing an embodiment of my invention hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention attached to the wall of a flush-tank the handle being shown in its normal vertical position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the position assumed by the mechanism when'the handle is moved to the right. Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 with the exception that the handle is shown to the left of its normal vertical position. Fig. 4; isaplan view of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow Fig. 1. Fig.6 is a perspective view of the rocking lever. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the flush-valve oparating lever.

Referring more particularly to the drawngs 1 indicates the tank wall to which the lush-valve operating mechanism is attached. lhis mechanism comprises a plate 2 having n apertured end 3 to receive the threaded nd 1 of a bushing member 5 preferably of nickel but which may be of any suitable material. A nut 6 secures the plate and bushing member to the tank wall as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Theopposite end of the plate 2 is bent forwardly at an obtuse angle from the apertured end thereof as at 7 and is provided with a stud or pin 8 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A spindle 9 which carries a handle 10 is rotatably seated within and projects beyond the inner extremity of the threaded end 4 of the bushing 5. Attached to the projecting end of this spindle is a rocking lever 11 consisting of a body portion with a hollow boss 13 in which the inner end of the spindle snugly fits. A screw 14 passing through the threaded opening 15 in the boss 13 and into the recess 16 formed in the spindle secures these members against independent movement. Extending from opposite ends of the body portion of the rocking lever and at right angles thereto are two short arms or stop members 17 and 18 respectively. The arm 18 is slightly offset from the body portion and the arm 19 has a flared'extension 20 projecting toward the arm 18 in substantially parallel relation to the body portion;

Pivotally mounted upon the fulcrum pin 8 previously mentioned is a flush valve oper ating lever 21 having its free end connected to a chain or rod 22 which carries the usual flushing valve, not shown. The opposite end of the lever 21 is formed with an upwardly and forwardly bent portion 22 terminating in a substantially hook-shaped end 23, the legs 24 and 25 of which form substantially a rectangle.

When the levers .11 and 21 are operatively connected together as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive it is impossible for them to become accidentally separated due-to violent manipulation of the handle or other causes by virtue of the fact that in all normal positions, the parts of the levers interlock. For instance when in the-positions seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 respectively the flared extension 20 limits the lateral movement of the flush valve operating lever on the pin 8 'and consequently prevents disengagement, the employment of a cotter pin being unnecessary for this purpose. It will therefore be seen that the lever 21 can only be removed from the pin 8 by moving the lever to the dotted line position in Fig. 1, in which position the hook-shaped end 23 will barely clear the extension 20 and pass through the opening 26 between the ofiset arm 18 and the extension. This can only be effected byreaching inside the flush tank.

The operation of the mechanism will be apparent but may be briefly stated, as follows: The flush tank valve is operated by turning the handle 10 in'either direction. When turned in the direction of the arrow Fig. 3 the arm 17 of the rocking lever 11 engages the arm 24 of the lever 21 causing the short arm of the latter to be depressed. Movement of the handle in this direction is limited by the offset arm 18 contacting with the arm 25. A movement of the handle in an opposite direction to the one just described causes the arm 17 to engage the arm 25 with similar result. The curved end 27 of the arm 25 engages the arm 17 and limits the movementeof the handle in this direction.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention, within the scope of the claims, constructed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification and drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is: l

1. Mechanism for operating flushing valves comprising arocking lever, and a flush valve operating lever adapted for detachable interlocking engagement with said rocking lever, means for attaching said levers to the tank wall, and means on said rocking lever for preventing said levers from becoming disconnected during the normal operation of the levers, said means permitting of disengagement of the levers when said levers are thrown beyond the limits of ordinary operating movement.

2. Mechanism for operating flushing valves comprising a. plate having a forwardly bent end and an apertured end, means for securing said plate to the tank wall comprising a threaded bushing-passing through said aperture and a nut on said bushing, a spindle Working in said bushing, a rocking lever secured to the end of said spindle, a flushing valve operating lever mounted on the bent end of said plate, means for preventing said levers from becoming disconnected during the normal operation of the levers, said means permitting of disengagement of the levers when said levers are thrown beyond the limits of ordinary operating movement.

3. Mechanism for operating flushing valves comprising a rocking lever and a flush valve operating lever, means for operatively connecting said levers to the tank wall, one of said levers being formed with a pair of oppositely inclined faces forming a reentrant angle, the other of said levers havlng an arm adapted for engagement with said faces and a flared extension on an apertured plate bolted on said bushing on the inside of the tank wall, said plate having a forwardly bent end provided with a fulcrum pin, a spindle carrying a handle mounted in said bushing, a flush-valve operating lever detachably mounted on said pin having a substantially hook-shaped end, a rocking lever mounted on said spindle, adapted to interlock with said hookshaped end, said rocking lever having means for preventing the detachment of said flush valve operating lever from said pin during the'normal operation of the levers, said means permitting of disengagement of the levers when saidlevers are thrown beyond the limits of ordinary operating movement.

6. Mechanism for operating flushing valves comprising a rocking lever and a flush valve operating lever adapted for interlocking connection, means for operatively connecting said levers to the tank wall, one of said levers having a substantially hookshaped end, the other of said levers having spaced arms, one of said arms having an extension thereon projecting toward but terminating short of said other. arm, said extension preventing said hook-shaped end from disengagement from said rocking lever when said levers are in normal positions.

7. Mechanism for. operating flushing valves comprising a rocking lever and a flush valve operating lever, means for pivotally connecting said levers to; the tank, means on said rocking lever adapted to normally maintain said flush valve operating lever against lateral movement upon its pivot but permitting of the removal of said lever from its pivot when said levers are moved to inoperative position.

8. Mechanism for operating flushing valves comprising a rocking lever and a flush valve operating lever adapted for 1nterlocking connection; means for operatively connecting said levers to the tankwall, one of said levers having a substantially hook-shaped end, the other of said I levers having spaced arms, one of said arms In testimony whereof I afiix my signabeing rovided with means preventing said ture in presence of two witnesses.

hook s aped end from disengagement from said rocking lever when said levers are in ALFRED MORENCY' normal positions and the other of said arms Witnesses: being slightly ofi'set from the body portion Rossmm H. VAN BUREN, of the lever. B. J. SCHULER. 

